


Blood Rush

by Frostylicious



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-02
Updated: 2016-07-02
Packaged: 2018-07-19 17:45:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7371487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frostylicious/pseuds/Frostylicious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blood. There's blood everywhere. Blood on the concrete, on his shirt, on his hands. No thanks to Lapis standing on that stupid air vent... why did she have to wear that skirt? Implied Jamzuli romance, though mostly Jamie and Peridot friendship. Oneshot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blood Rush

**Author's Note:**

> You know, with so many anime references throughout this cartoon, you'd think the Crewniverse would throw in a nosebleed. I'm surprised they haven't yet. :P
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Steven Universe; it rightfully belongs to Rebecca Sugar!

Beach City was unusually quiet for a Friday afternoon. During the summertime, it was often flocked by tourists from all over the area who gathered for a vacation spot. The only sound that filled Jamie and Lapis' ears as they took up the caboose of the group was the laughter from Steven and Connie and Peridot's constant slurp every five seconds. Despite the annoyance from the grumpy mint leaf's straw, Lapis put on a smile for her friends who were in luck of finding some lunch since there weren't too many people cramming the restaurants.

"But the question is," Steven pressed, looking around at the variety at which they had as he rubbed his growling belly, "where would you guys like to go?"

Connie voiced her opinion with a wide grin. "As long as I have something in my stomach, I'm up for anything."

"Great! How about Fish Stew Pizza? It's just... around... the corner..."

A gasp escaped the hybrid, all starry-eyed and full of smiles. Just a few inches away was a brand new air vent, right in their path.

"... Right after we bounce around on this vent to wash off all of this sweat!"

The greenest of the group furrowed an eyebrow in mid-slurp.

"We've only been away from the theater for ten minutes," she groaned. "How can you possibly be sweating already?"

Peridot's question was left unanswered as Steven grabbed Connie's wrist and dragged her onto the platform.

"Let's go Connie, fun awaits us!"

"Whoop! Right behind you!"

Articles of clothing flew towards the sky as the children danced the day away, feeling the refresh of the cool air surrounding them. Connie's long hair bounced everywhere, from brushing against Steven's cheeks to the fluffy clouds above. Jamie and Lapis watched on, sharing a smile of amusement together. The mailman thought back to when he was a child and loved doing all sorts of these kinds of things during the summertime. Oh, how he longed to just be a kid again, if only if it was for a whole day...

"Lapis!" cried Steven. The boy extended a hand. "Come on!"

"Oh," said the ocean gem, drifting out of her thoughts. She approached the children. "Are you sure there's enough room on there, Steven?"

"Of course there is," said Steven. "Come on, it's fun! You'll like it if you just give it a chance."

Lapis nodded and followed through with his suggestion. Without a thought, she stepped onto the vent to enjoy the fun that Steven kept telling them about. Her bare feet felt cool against the bars, her short and wispy hair flew in every direction, and as for her skirt...

Peridot took a long, annoying slurp from her refreshment. She slapped her lips together and narrowed her eyes to slits. When she was finished, she quickly adjusted her visor.

"That is a remarkable butt you've got there, Lazuli," she complimented before scoffing like a spoiled child also laying a hand on her hip, "But still, Amethyst's is far more superior. What do you say, Steven's Messenger?"

Suddenly, a drop of blood splattered the pavement beside Peridot, worrying her instantly.

"Uh, S-Steven's Messenger?"

Slowly, the green gem looked up at the human and discovered a sight that she would never forget. The thespian cracked a sheepish grin, with both hands shielding his nostrils away. A trail of blood poured down his chin like a fountain.

The Styrofoam cup that Peridot held crushed into her fist. The rest of the soda gushed out of the cup's cracks, spraying its stickiness all over the side of the little gem's head.

"Sttteeeveeennn!" she screeched. "Your messenger's sense sponge is broken! ... For odd some reason."

She gave Jamie her trademarked crinkled frown. "How... exactly did it break in the first place?" she asked carefully. "Or is this just another one of your mindless acts?"

"No, no," said Jamie calmly, "it's not broken, Peri! I... I just... well, uh..."

Cue the flushing cheeks of mortification.

"Jaaamie!"

This caught Steven's attention almost immediately. The boy jumped right off the vent once he was summoned and hurled some healing spit into the palm of his hand, and then made a mad dash towards his older friend.

"Hold on, Jamie!" he cried heroically. "Don't despair, Steven's here!"

"No, Steven!" Jamie hollered. "Don't worry about me, I'm okay! It's only a..."

"Jamie?" said Connie.

Lapis stepped off the air vent, her blue eyes increasing twice the size as Connie's.

"Oh my stars," she cursed. Wasting precious time, she called to her wings and lifted herself into the air before throwing herself towards her friend who avoided her. "Jamie! Jamie, are you all right?! Oh, what am I saying? Of course not! Look at you, you're drenched with blood!"

The man clutched a handful of his white t-shirt and swept at his nose with his free hand.

"Lapis, I'm fine," he reassured her. "I just... well..."

"Here Jamie," said Steven, "let me help you. It'll just take a second to heal, I promise."

"No!" Jamie snapped. "I mean... Steven, I feel no pain whatsoever... All I need are some napkins and a shirt change. And to wash my hands. Relax, it's just a nosebleed. That's it."

Connie's hand ventured into a back pocket and a moment later she offered Jamie a small packet of tissues. "Here you go. My parents always tell me to carry tissues with me in case of an emergency."

Jamie smiled gratefully and took them. "Thank you, Connie."

"We could stop by the shop if you'd like," said Steven politely. "There we could get you a new shirt!"

"You'd do that for me?" said the mailman, touched by the hybrid's generosity.

Lapis decided to throw herself into the conversation. "And since my wings are ready to take on any obstacle..." There she pried Jamie's bloody hands away from his mouth and splashed them with her wings. "Though you may want to wash them with soap again before you eat, okay?"

"Yes ma'am!"

Lapis grinned. "Good."

Peridot frowned. Just how in the world did he get a bloody nose, anyway? She was surprised to hear that no one had asked the question yet.

Once Steven led the way with Connie, Lapis followed suit. Before Jamie could tag along with his closest friends who had disappeared around the corner, he felt two little hands grasp at his bigger one. They tugged frequently until he looked down and saw the small gem looking up at him with an expression that read, "You have information that I don't, now fess up you dorky clod!"

Jamie smiled and knelt down to be at Peridot's eye-level. Her grumpy grimace did not change for the better.

"What's up, Peri?"

"How does it work?" she asked.

Jamie blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"That," she said, pointing toward the trickling blood. "You were fine a couple of minutes ago. When Lazuli suddenly showed off her butt, your sense sp... nose... started leaking blood. I cannot understand why."

The thespian blushed and rubbed the side of his neck. "Oh, well... ah... about that..." He sneezed into a tissue and tossed it into a nearby trash can, wanting to blow as much blood out as he possibly could.

Peridot tapped her foot impatiently. "I'm waaaitinggg..."

"Oh, all right... how to explain this..." Jamie's brain searched for a good explanation. "You know whenever you see Amethyst and you tend to get a gooey feeling in your stomach?"

"Yes..." Peridot raised an eyebrow, curious to know where he was going with this.

"Okay. That's how I feel with Lapis right now. Except whenever I see... revealing parts of her body, my head tends to... get trapped in a gutter, so to speak."

"But your head was with the rest of ours when Lapis bounced on the air vent," she pointed out.

Jamie slapped a hand to his forehead and chuckled sheepishly. "Sometimes I forget that you've only been on earth for almost a whole year."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Peridot snarled.

"Nothing," he said, running said hand through his hair. "You've got a long way to go, but you're resourceful. You'll get these expressions in no time." Then he looked at her with a serious expression. "Look, Peridot... I'd really appreciate it if this was between us, okay?"

"Why?" demanded the gem.

"Because I really don't want Lapis feeling uncomfortable with... this side of my personality," he confessed. "I don't want her to find out just yet, because I'm afraid she'll think of me as some loser. Within time, yes, but I don't want to show this side of me until ten years or so, when we're married. Or when we're all alone and in an official relationship, at least. I just feel that it would be unprofessional if she found out this early is all."

Peridot nodded. "Fair enough, thespian. My lips are sealed for... wait. Married?"

Jamie's cheeks puffed out as their color increased. Oh boy, me and my big mouth...

"Hey guys!" called Connie, poking out from the edge of the corner. "We found Jamie a shirt, I think it's definitely his size and color. Why don't you come take a look?"

"Oh, Cloddie!" cried Peridot eagerly. She suddenly hooked arms with Jamie and swung him to his feet. "Of course we will!" Out of the corner of her mouth, she muttered to Jamie, "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

He managed to escape her grip and trap her fragile body into a playful choke hold before diving his hand into her mountain of blonde hair.

"Thanks Periclod," he grinned.

"But that's my word! Use it one more time or the ten-year deal will be shattered," she threatened.

Jamie laughed sheepishly before putting her down.

"Yes, ma'am."


End file.
